Discover Namibia
12 Day Sample Itinerary
Duffle & Compass Exclusive 2007 Safari
This safari was done August 20-31, 2007 with private guide, Festus Mbinga and escorted by founder Carol Oken. We will be happy to custom-tailor it for you.
This journey is designed to give you a good overview of this land of endless blue skies, vast expanses of untouched wilderness, the highest sand dunes in the world, the oldest desert and the wild Atlantic coast. You will travel by road to give you the most flexibility in your schedule, as well as in-depth experiences along the way. You will also travel by private air charter, giving you a bird's-eye view of the contrasting landscapes and the time to cover the wide range of the itinerary.
The entire safari is guided by an experienced professional guide who will share his passion and in-depth knowledge of Namibia, and also features a day at the Cheetah Conservation Fund Field Research and Education Center with Dr. Laurie Marker and staff scientists. You will track the elusive wildlife of the desert and learn about the amazing plethora of plants and animals that have ingeniously adapted to their harsh surroundings. Other activities include viewing ancient rock art with local Damara guides, dune walks and sea kayaking.
To ensure privacy and exclusivity, most areas in which you will travel are private concessions in unspoiled and scenic locations. You will experience a variety of accommodations from small guest houses, and a quaint lodge on the Atlantic coast, to permanent camps and vintage-styled serviced camping with bucket showers and pure cotton linen bedrolls on GI stretchers. The emphasis will be on simple comforts combined with maximum wilderness experiences.
Brief Itinerary
| Day 1 | Arrive Windhoek, Olive Grove Guest House |
| Day 2 | Fly to Otjiwarongo, Cheetah Conservation Center, Frans Indongo Lodge |
| Day 3 & 4 | Fly to Ongava Private Game Reserve, Etosha area, Ongava Lodge |
| Day 5 | Drive to Palmwag, Palmwag Camp |
| Days 6 & 7 | Drive to Hoanib Valley, Kaokoland, Hoanib Camp |
| Day 8 | Drive to Damaraland, Damaraland Camp |
| Day 9 | Drive to Swakopmund, The Stiltz Lodge |
| Days 10 & 11 | Drive to Walvis Bay, Sossusvlei, Kulala Camp |
| Day 12 | Drive to Windhoek |
Discover Namibia - Price
Contact Duffle & Compass for the current price of this itinerary.
Discover Namibia - Detailed Itinerary
Day 1
You will be met at the airport in Windhoek and transferred by road to the Olive Grove Guest House. You can relax in the tranquil garden and cool off in the plunge pool.
Day 2
After breakfast you leave for Eros Airport where you will board your private plane and transfer to the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) Airstrip. You will spend the day at CCF's Field Research and Education Center meeting with founder Dr. Laurie Marker and staff scientists. Namibia has the largest population of cheetah in the world. You will then transfer by road to the Frans Indongo Lodge where you will overnight.
Days 3 & 4
This morning after breakfast you will be taken back to the CCF Airstrip to board your private charter flight to the Ongava Game Reserve, located near Etosha National Park. This is Namibia's big game country where you will experience the diverse flora and fauna in a variety of activities, from game walks to game drives and visits to hides both on this private reserve and in the famous Etosha National Park.
Day 5
This morning you travel to Twyfelfontein, where you will be guided by local Damara guides to view the San petroglyphs - prehistoric rock etchings, strewn over the rock face. After lunch the journey continues in the direction of the Palmwag concession where desert-adapted elephant and elusive black rhino can be found.
Your camp is situated in a secluded area near the Palmwag Lodge. The Meru-style tents are built on individual, wooden platforms and offer a scenic view of the surroundings. The tents are tastefully furnished, with en-suite facilities, solar power and a wonderful atmosphere.
Over the course of the next four nights in the enormous wilderness areas of Damaraland and Palmwag your guides expose the sheer magnificence of nature's survival strategies in this arid environment, through walks, tracking and game drives concentrating on a variety of topics from birds to insects, medicinal uses of plants and viewing wildlife. In addition, you will travel through regions with an exciting array of exposed geological sequences, ranging in age from "young" 130 million-year-old igneous shale through to 850 million-year-old schist formations.
Days 6 & 7
Your journey continues by road towards the ephemeral river of the Hoanib Valley. Here you enter one of Namibia's richest desert wildlife areas. The rugged mountains and canyons of the Hoanib River provide a last refuge for some of the continent's most unique wildlife; this is the home of the legendary desert elephant and the last free-roaming black rhino population on Earth. The Save the Rhino Trust has been involved with rhino conservation in this area since the early 1980s. You may be able to visit one the nomadic Himba villages if they are in the area.
Your tented camp is set close to the Hoanib River and powered by solar-powered inverter systems. The walk-in, hexagonal style tents are en-suite with flush toilet and bucket shower bathrooms in a separate portion of the tent.
Day 8
Today you travel east to Sesfontein where you will end your road journey at the award-winning Damaraland Camp. This camp is situated on the northern face of the Huab River valley, looking south toward the imposing Brandberg Mountain. Your accommodations are in comfortable, tented rooms with en-suite facilities including flush toilets and showers with endless vista views. The dining room and pub are combined under canvas, and an open fire is enjoyed on calm evenings. A special feature of the camp is its unique natural rock pool.
Early morning mists generated by the clash between the icy Atlantic Ocean and the warm desert air of the Skeleton Coast, drift inland along the river sand canyon, providing sustenance to the flora and fauna of the region. Although wildlife is not concentrated, the camp is situated where the rare desert-adapted elephant roams, alongside gemsbok (oryx), springbok, ostrich and other hardy desert animals. Rare succulent plants eke out an existence in this harsh countryside.
Day 9
Traveling south you will pass the Gai As spring where you can find numerous stone circles made by people who lived here about 500 years ago. As you get closer to the Atlantic coast there are lichen fields strewn over the gravel plains, one of the most fragile ecosystems on Earth. After a picnic lunch, you'll make for The Stiltz Lodge in the quaint and charming town of Swakopmund. You'll have time to explore the unique urban atmosphere that is a vibrant combination of Africa and Europe.
The Stiltz, as its name implies, is built on stilts, providing breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, the red iron-rich beach dunes and also the Swakopmund River mouth. Each of the minimalist yet elegantly furnished thatched bungalows is linked by wooden walkways to the main restaurant. As the lodge is sited close to the central part of town, this allows for easy access to enjoy the special hospitality, history and cuisine.
Days 10 & 11
Heading south to Walvis Bay Lagoon, you'll find a protected bay, many flamingos, pelicans and other waterfowl. On the calm waters of the bay, you'll experience sea kayaking, a spectacular activity that allows you to approach the water birds at a respectable distance and in their habitat, allowing for some unique photographic opportunities.
After lunch on the beach you'll drive inland to the Kulala Camp in the private Sossusvlei concession. Here you can enjoy access to the Sossusvlei dunes, for walks in the immense moving sands of the Namib, game drives and stargazing. Photography in the early morning of the dunes is particularly stunning with rich reds and dark shadows completing the extraordinary vista that is the enormity of the Namib Desert.
Day 12
After breakfast you transfer by road, including lunch overlooking the view of the plains nearby, to Windhoek for your onward journey.
Contact Duffle & Compass to begin planning your Africa adventure.
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